Mobile device communication

Abstract

Described is a technology by which a mobile computing device such as a mobile telephone operates differently based on detected proximity to another mobile device with which the first mobile device has a defined relationship. For example, the first mobile device may transfer content to the second mobile computing device when proximity corresponds to a non-cellular communications coupling, such as Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi coupling. In this manner, content transfer is deferred until a non-cellular coupling exists. The mobile device (or both devices) may output a notification to indicate that the other mobile computing device has been detected within a threshold proximity, such as via GPS data or by being within the same cellular tower. The type and/or settings of an output notification may vary based on different thresholds.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving an indication from a user of a first mobile computing device identifying a second mobile computing device to communicate with; 
 detecting whether a Wi-Fi internet connection is available to the first mobile computing device; 
 in a first instance, responsive to a determination that the Wi-Fi internet connection is available to the first mobile computing device, using the Wi-Fi internet connection instead of cellular communication to send a first message from the first mobile computing device to the second mobile computing device; and 
 in a second instance, responsive to a determination that the Wi-Fi internet connection is not available to the first mobile computing device, using the cellular communication instead of the Wi-Fi internet connection to send a second message from the first mobile computing device to the second mobile computing device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in the first instance, sending the first message over the Wi-Fi internet connection to a server that sends the first message to the second mobile computing device; and 
 in the second instance, sending the second message to the server using the cellular communication, wherein the server sends the second message to the second mobile computing device. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing an option whether to use the cellular communication when the Wi-Fi internet connection is not available; 
 receiving a user input accepting the option to use the cellular communication when the Wi-Fi internet connection is not available; and 
 using the cellular communication to send the second message in the second instance based at least on the user input accepting the option. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring availability of the Wi-Fi internet connection based at least on a location of the first mobile computing device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising obtaining the location of the first mobile computing device via Global Positioning System functionality of the first mobile computing device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , the first message comprising a media file. 
     
     
       7. A mobile computing device comprising:
 a hardware processing unit; and 
 a hardware computer storage medium storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to: 
 receive indications from a user of the mobile computing device requesting to communicate with other mobile computing devices; 
 detect whether Wi-Fi internet communication is available between the mobile computing device and the other mobile computing devices; 
 for a first other mobile computing device for which the Wi-Fi internet communication with the mobile computing device is available, send a first message from the mobile computing device to the first other mobile computing device using the Wi-Fi internet communication instead of cellular communication; and 
 for a second other mobile computing device for which the Wi-Fi internet communication with the mobile computing device is not available, send a second message from the mobile computing device to the second other mobile computing device using the cellular communication instead of the Wi-Fi internet communication. 
 
     
     
       8. The mobile computing device of  claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 display a notification that the first other mobile computing device is available via the Wi-Fi internet communication. 
 
     
     
       9. The mobile computing device of  claim 8 , the notification comprising changing a color displayed on the mobile computing device. 
     
     
       10. The mobile computing device of  claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 determine a specified time of day when the cellular communication is used for message communication; and 
 defer sending the second message to the second other mobile computing device until the specified time of day. 
 
     
     
       11. The mobile computing device of  claim 7 , embodied as a cell phone. 
     
     
       12. The mobile computing device of  claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 send the first message to a server configured to send the first message to the first other mobile computing device. 
 
     
     
       13. A system comprising the mobile computing device of  claim 12  and the server. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , further comprising the first other mobile computing device and the second other mobile computing device. 
     
     
       15. A mobile computing device comprising:
 a hardware processing unit; and 
 a hardware computer storage medium storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to: 
 receive an indication from a user of the mobile computing device identifying a second mobile computing device to communicate with; 
 detect whether a Wi-Fi internet connection is available to the mobile computing device; 
 in a first instance, responsive to a determination that the Wi-Fi internet connection is available to the mobile computing device, use the Wi-Fi internet connection instead of cellular communication to send a message from the mobile computing device to the second mobile computing device; and 
 in a second instance, responsive to a determination that the Wi-Fi internet connection is not available to the mobile computing device, use the cellular communication instead of the Wi-Fi internet connection to send the message from the mobile computing device to the second mobile computing device. 
 
     
     
       16. The mobile computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 in the first instance, send the message to a server that sends the message to the second mobile computing device. 
 
     
     
       17. The mobile computing device of  claim 16 , the message comprising a media file.